How can I find out who is stealing electricity?

[6pack]

I stay alone and the normal range of monthly consumption is from 95-110 units. This month I got message to submit reading yesterday and today got another sms saying that my consumption was 240 units.
What is weird is there were power cuts throughout this month of May 15-June15 the billing period. I doubt just by myself I could double the power consumption in one month.
I have doubt that someone is stealing electricity from my lines connected to meter. How do I find out? I'm the one having to pay 1.5k+ bill here without using that much because of some low life.
There are people in my building with 3-4 ac's. Wonder if one of them mofo's is doing it.

 

[bssunilreddy]

Yes, in villages they use hooks to steal power and when everybody's sleeping they use such tactics.
I saw like these things in my wife's mother's village.

 

[manucitc]

I stay alone and the normal range of monthly consumption is from 95-110 units. This month I got message to submit reading yesterday and today got another sms saying that my consumption was 240 units.
There are people in my building with 3-4 ac's. Wonder if one of them mofo's is doing it.

Consumption generally raise in summer if you have AC that's normal increase.
First of check last year reading that generally mention in bill and compare with it.
Second stealing electricity in building is not theoretically possible as your meter output wire directly go to your Main MCB which is generally located in parking in my city and that MCB output is directly go to your House.

So no one will try to interfere it.

 

[manucitc]

Yes, in villages they use hooks to steal power and when everybody's sleeping they use such tactics.
I saw like these things in my wife's mother's village.

He is talking about city and what you are talking about is totally different thing, if someone is stealing electricity directly from main cable, all overhead charge from that db got distributed to everyone..

 

[6pack]

Consumption generally raise in summer if you have AC that's normal increase.
First of check last year reading that generally mention in bill and compare with it.
Second stealing electricity in building is not theoretically possible as your meter output wire directly go to your Main MCB which is generally located in parking in my city and that MCB output is directly go to your House.

So no one will try to interfere it.

No ac. Just one fridge, 32" led tv, mixer grinder, bldc fan and all lights in home are led lights.

I remembered that i didn't get last months bill of April-May during lockdown. Seems like the power company just gave average reading and sent me bill. I paid it though app because of frequent power cuts and didn't notice they had said no reading was taken. So I'm 100% an idiot for not checking my power bill first before starting this thread. Probably the power company will adjust this months and last months billing after doing what they do. So its just few units above normal I guess which is fine since I kept fan on full speed during summer and even fridge would have taken more units.

 

[singenaadam]

This confusion has happened to many people.

In AP, with so many people complaining on high power bills for April (no readings were taken in March) Opposition was demanding writing-off the power bills

 

[bfz]

I would suggest to check previous months bill and see if there was actual meter reading or they just estimated the bill based on previous usage due to lockdown. If they estimated less and your usage is high, you will fall into a higher tier usage for this month and hence the high bill.

Edit: OP picked it up before I posted

 

[Arjun]

Yes meter reading wasnt done in March April, this could be reason for the discrepancy.

 

[Sird]

I came to post what OP has already figured out.
This has been a lifetime issue here in Ghaziabad.
The guys putting wrong reading and bill coming out more than expected. People have even received bill of 10-20k lol.
Always check your reading against the reading in bill whenever in doubt.

 

[6pack]

I would suggest to check previous months bill and see if there was actual meter reading or they just estimated the bill based on previous usage due to lockdown. If they estimated less and your usage is high, you will fall into a higher tier usage for this month and hence the high bill.

Edit: OP picked it up before I posted

My reading for Apr was 2895. For May they charged me for 108 units with reading not taken. Last year in May 2019, I was charged 107 units. So they took same as last years reading.
Now for June its 3135. So my bill will be 240-108=132 units if I'm right. So still in same 101-300 units slab.

 

[nRiTeCh]

No ac. Just one fridge, 32" led tv, mixer grinder, bldc fan and all lights in home are led lights.

I remembered that i didn't get last months bill of April-May during lockdown. Seems like the power company just gave average reading and sent me bill. I paid it though app because of frequent power cuts and didn't notice they had said no reading was taken. So I'm 100% an idiot for not checking my power bill first before starting this thread. Probably the power company will adjust this months and last months billing after doing what they do. So its just few units above normal I guess which is fine since I kept fan on full speed during summer and even fridge would have taken more units.

Dude then its your fault as all power distributors did sent smses asking to share a snapshot of your monthly meter readings via their app based upon which your bills will be calculated until lockdown situation subsides...

 

[6pack]

प्रिय ग्राहक, आपल्या वापरा नुसार लॉक डाउन काळातील अचूक वीज बिल देण्यासाठी कृपया मिटर रिडरला मिटरचे वाचन करू देण्याबाबत सहकार्य करावे हि विनंती. अन्यथा आपणास सरासरी वापरानुसार वीज बिल आकारले जाईल.

What exactly are they asking here? Our society gate is open always 24/7. Is it general message for everyone or they are asking us to click picture of reading and send through app?

 

[bfz]

प्रिय ग्राहक, आपल्या वापरा नुसार लॉक डाउन काळातील अचूक वीज बिल देण्यासाठी कृपया मिटर रिडरला मिटरचे वाचन करू देण्याबाबत सहकार्य करावे हि विनंती. अन्यथा आपणास सरासरी वापरानुसार वीज बिल आकारले जाईल.

What exactly are they asking here? Our society gate is open always 24/7. Is it general message for everyone or they are asking us to click picture of reading and send through app?

I got the same notification from Adani. They want us to click and send pictures of our meter readings to avoid estimated bills.

 

[6pack]

Ah. I was wondering why they want us to help (or allow) the meter guy take readings. I was thinking maybe some societies closed gates to outsiders to avoid covid infections. Some societies in our area are doing this for some reason.

 

[vyral_143]

प्रिय ग्राहक, आपल्या वापरा नुसार लॉक डाउन काळातील अचूक वीज बिल देण्यासाठी कृपया मिटर रिडरला मिटरचे वाचन करू देण्याबाबत सहकार्य करावे हि विनंती. अन्यथा आपणास सरासरी वापरानुसार वीज बिल आकारले जाईल.

What exactly are they asking here? Our society gate is open always 24/7. Is it general message for everyone or they are asking us to click picture of reading and send through app?

Just submit photo of meter to get accurate bill. I did it for last cycle and it was sorted. I did it via app though. Also this can be done only if you receive SMS and you submit before cut-off date mentioned in SMS.

 

[6pack]

yup. Just submitted the reading through app.

 

[bssunilreddy]

yup. Just submitted the reading through app.

We people in AP don't have any such apps for meter reading as such as the bills are generated by the electricity meter walaas who come to each house and take readings.

And I pay bills using Paytm App and get print outs for future perusal.

 

[6pack]

I read somewhere (probably economic times) that in future central govt is thinking of making all electricity meters as pre paid one like mobile phones. So all state electricity boards will have to compulsorily shift to pre paid meters to reduce power theft etc. Only downside I can think off is, they will charge more per unit and maybe unit slabs will go away.

We people in AP don't have any such apps for meter reading as such as the bills are generated by the electricity meter walaas who come to each house and take readings.

And I pay bills using Paytm App and get print outs for future perusal.

Even here the electricity guys come to building to take meter readings through camera or smart phone. The Maha elec board introduced the app due to incorrect readings or high usage etc so people can take picture and submit readings as proof to get lower bills. Before the app, somebody's reading would go to someone else and it was problematic. Long lines at customer care centers who would ask real reading taken by some staff member etc. After the app was made and they computerised all the stuff most of the problems have gone away. Only problem of bad meters remain now.

 

[nRiTeCh]

प्रिय ग्राहक, आपल्या वापरा नुसार लॉक डाउन काळातील अचूक वीज बिल देण्यासाठी कृपया मिटर रिडरला मिटरचे वाचन करू देण्याबाबत सहकार्य करावे हि विनंती. अन्यथा आपणास सरासरी वापरानुसार वीज बिल आकारले जाईल.

What exactly are they asking here? Our society gate is open always 24/7. Is it general message for everyone or they are asking us to click picture of reading and send through app?

Its not about gates opened or closed but they are short of manpower to visit and take the reading.
I even got sms last monthstating henceforth readings will be taken by their representatives. But seems not happening.

 

[6pack]

I got another sms now telling to submit reading by 19th if reading is not taken. I already submitted today so I'm good. But how will anyone know if meter reading was taken or not? Do they expect people to wait for the meter guy? Weird.

Govt people don't think before sending sms or any official communication. They should have just told people to send reading through app.